‘ANC is off track’

AFTER criss-crossing the greater Mangaung Metro as part of the 50 Wards in 50 Days Campaign, the DA’s mayoral candidate for Mangaung, James Letuka, has again asked voters to lend his party their support on 3 August. He made the appeal at the DA’s Mangaung manifesto launch at the Poelanong Monument opposite City Hall and the Bram Fischer Building in Bloemfontein last Saturday (18/06).

Letuka stressed that appealing to voters to vote for his party signified how much the DA valued and respected the voters.

“Voters are agents for change as democrats. We won’t take them for granted, but will walk the talk and work with voters to bring a meaningful change they, as voters, want. We will be the servants of the voters who want positive change in their lives,” he said.

Letuka elaborated on five commitments that would bring jobs and good governance and sustainable employment opportunities to Mangaung when the DA was voted into power by voters. These commitments commit him and the party to working to advance the socio-economic transformation of the greater Mangaung.

“In government, our yes will be our yes. When we commit to doing something, we will do it. And when we are unable to do something, we will be the first to admit it. We will be an honest, responsive and transparent government, working together with all residents and stakeholders to make Mangaung the metro it can be and that cares,” he said.

Letuka said the 50 Wards in 50 Days fact-finding programme was critical in informing his party about what the people wanted, their needs and the socio-economic challenges facing residents of the greater Mangaung.

“The socio-economic challenges confronting residents of the greater Mangaung demand that we work with them as voters and adopt the model of Formula 1 motoring champions, who have the technical expertise and the know-how of fixing the car while the engine is running.

“They must be that to the letter. For the Mangaung economy to develop and thrive, innovation is key. The Mangaung Metro is the home to both the Central University of Technology and the University of the Free State, which fundamentally means achieving meaningful change. The starting point will be ensuring we have in place sustainable technical and engineering skills development programmes,” said Letuka.

He said that the ruling ANC had delivered much since the dawn of democracy towards improving the lives of the people, but had since gone off track.

“Around 2007, the ANC in government has been unable to deliver on the promise of freedom. Over the last decade, under the ANC, more people have become jobless. Just from January to March this year, almost 15 000 people in Mangaung lost their jobs.

“Our local Mangaung economy is not growing fast enough to create employment. We need prosperity for all that we yearn for. The ANC blames the international financial crisis, the drought and even unidentifiable third forces for the negative economic growth. The ANC will blame everyone and everything except themselves,” he said.

Letuka pointed out that progressive economic growth in the Western Cape was experienced under the DA, which was proof of the party’s commitment towards positive change and a model of good governance.

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